Council helps young people speak out

Plymouth City Council’s youth services team have been working with young people in Southway to produce a series of videos to showcase a number of exciting projects that they have been involved in.

One of the videos, produced in partnership with Foto Now, a Plymouth based company who specialise in photography and videography will now be used to help the Council to recruit youth workers. What you want from a worker shows Plymouth young people’s views of what they feel makes a good Youth Worker.

Another video documented an epic 104-mile bike ride from Ilfracombe to Plymouth, undertaken by six young men who at the time, were either not in education or at risk of anti-social behaviour. The project showed just how their confidence and self-esteem increased and also gave them the platform to have their say on the issues that affect them.

Eighteen year-old Tom Friel, who took part in the 104-mile bike ride, said: “After what we went through together, we can achieve anything.”

Councillor Sue McDonald, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Public Health said: “This really has been a fantastic project and shows just how important the views and opinions of our young people are. Some of the results from these media projects have included donations of mobile indoor skate ramps, and the use of mobile skate park trailers  which are now used at community events city-wide.”

Rishi Bates, Senior Youth Worker said: “Not only has this project made a difference to all the young people's lives who took part but it’s also hoped this will highlight their ‘can do’ attitude, and how this positivity has benefited the wider community around them. It has without doubt helped to reduce anti-social behaviour locally, and has given young people involved an opportunity to present their views and interest to a wider audience.”